Heather Thornewood

Professional Profile

Creative Art Educator skilled in engaging students in lessons
that connect life skills to classroom content.
Professional, outgoing, enthusiastic with a passion and
commitment to student development and enrichment.
Utilizes innovative activities to enrich, challenge and address
the interests of diverse students and learning styles.
Active team member who effectively collaborates with all staff
members and establishes quality relationships with both
parents and students.
Looking to contribute my knowledge and skills to creatively
engage Art Students in a variety of mediums and materials

 

Skills Summary:
• Whole Group Learning                             2D Art                                            Theatre/ Drama
• Student Motivation                                   Drawing                                         MS Word
• Classroom Management                          Painting                                         Excel
• Student Assessments                               Photography                                 PowerPoint
• Cooperative Learning                               Printmaking                                  Outlook
• Growth Mindset Learning                        Digital Media                                Aeries
• Social Emotional Learning                        3D Art                                            Adobe Photoshop
• Interactive Learning                                   Jewelry and metalsmithing        Illustrator
• Curriculum Design and Development    Ceramics                                       Odysseyware
• Interpersonal Communication                 Sculpture                                      Edgenuity
• Differentiated Instruction                         Mixed Media                                Canvas
• Student-Centered Activities                      Fiber Arts                                      Google applications
• Multicultural Awareness                            Music                                            Gallery and Exhibit Setup

Education & Certificates:
Master of Humanities in Art and Visual Media - Aug 2022 Completion
Master of Art in Education with Single Subject Credential in Art University of Phoenix –June 2012 Completion
of BTSA through Sacramento County and Twin Rivers USD- June 2014
Certificate of Completion: Content Literacy for Technical Subjects Module Common Core July 2013
Bachelor of Art degree in Art Education with Minor in Anthropology
California State University San Bernardino – 2008

 

Teaching Experience:

Yuba City Unified School District
River Valley High School
Yuba City, CA
August 2014- June 2017, August 2018- Present
Art Teacher and Content Lead for Art Department (2019-present)
• Designed and implemented enriching lesson that adhere to the California State Standards
of Teaching.
• Collaborated with the Art department to implement Common Care strategies into the art
curriculum.
• Designed and implemented Jewelry Production and Design course with co-teacher to bring
metalsmithing into our program.
• Collaboration with my 3D art classes to design and create a life size lion statue out of
recycled materials and papier mâché for the Senior Prom in 2016.
• Attended the National Art Educator conference in New York in 2017 to enhance my lessons
with new engaging information, curriculum and industry standards.
• Advisor for the Art Club and assisted the Prom committee with decorations and designing
backdrops.
• I worked with the link crew to help establish a safe and welcoming school environment for
our incoming Freshman.
• Home Hospital teacher for students out on extended medical leave.
• Trained and coordinated Odysseyware program to assist students in credit recovery. I over
saw multiple students and staff using this program. Currently trained and using Edgenuity in
afterschool credit recovery program.
• Set up, participated, and showed student work at the Sutter Community Museum and art
gallery and Yuba Sutter Arts Center.
• Participated in the Scholastic Art and Writing competition, both as educator and judge
• Designed and implemented lessons that were engaging and connected to student’s
pathways in college and career readiness.
• Worked with counselors and administration to implement IEP’s and 504 plans to make sure
every student could be successful no matter their level of skill or need for accommodations.
• Created and designed lessons and tests that were common core based using “attacking the
prompt” methods and project-based learning and assessments.

 

Paradise Unified School District
Ponderosa Elementary, Cedarwood Elementary, and Pine Ridge School
Paradise, CA
August 2017- June 2018
Art, Music and VAPA Teacher
• Art, Music and VAPA teacher traveling between multiple school sites daily.
• Designed and implemented lessons that catered to the needs of the multiple schools and
the needs of the students.
• Designed and implemented lessons for grades 3- 5 in Music, Art and Performing Arts.
• Directed a choral performance with grades 3-5 for the PUSD Board in October of 2017.
• Designed a ukulele program for students in 4th and 5th grade at Ponderosa Elementary.
• Worked with Paradise High School VAPA teachers to implement a VAPA day for 3rd
graders.
• Collaborated with teachers at all schools to design lessons that helped to enrich the
materials that were being covered for each grade level.
• Participated in the Kindness Challenge that helped bring awareness to simple acts of
kindness and the power of being kind to one another.
• Collaborated with all members of the VAPA team to create a cohesive VAPA program for
the students of Paradise Unified.

 

Twin Rivers Unified School District
Rio Linda High School & Foothill High School
Sacramento, CA
August 2012- June 2014
Beginning and Advanced Art Teacher
• Designed and implemented enriching lessons that adhered to the California State
Standards of Teaching.
• Collaborated with VAPA team and implemented Common Core strategies into the
Beginning and Advanced Art classes.
• Collaboration of all four beginning art classes in building a nearly life size sculpture of the
school’s mascot, the Mustang at Foothill High
• Collaboration of all art classes, over 300 students, to design and draw a 52’x9’ chalk mural
depicting what students what to accomplish before they graduate high school at Rio Linda
High.
• Taught lessons to a diverse grouping of students with varying abilities and talents.
• Maintained strong communication skills with students, parents and faculty.
• Assisted in advisement with the school’s Drama Club.
• Planned lessons that engaged multiple learning style and abilities.
• Helped develop critical thinking skills and critical analysis of art and artistic works.
• Worked with multiple mediums including, graphic, charcoal, acrylic, watercolor, papier
mâché, paper cutting, plaster and recycled materials.
• Maintained a positive learning environment by applying disciplinary actions as needed.

 

Oroville High School
Oroville, CA
February 2012-June 2012
Student Teacher
• Designed and implemented lessons for over 200 students.
• Designed instruction for Visual Arts, Ceramics, and photo classes.
• Provided differentiated instruction for English Language learners and students with special
needs.
• Taught students proper technique and safety for materials and supplies.
• Emphasized students’ artistic expression through various materials and resources.
• Collaborated with the department in the setup of student exhibition at the Butte County
Silver Dollar Fair.
• Helped set up and maintain the darkroom for black and white photography.
• Maintained clean and efficient set up of ceramics workroom and kiln room.

Student Awards and Achievements
•Honorable Mention Award recipients of Scholastic Art and Writing Competition 2022.
• Student award for the Google Draw Competition 2018
• Students were award recipients of the Scholastic Art and Writing Competition 2017
• First Place in Youth Art Month Competition at Crocker Museum 2014
• High Merit in National Celebrating Art Competition 2013
• Second Place award for gallery display at Butte County Silver Dollar Faire 2012
• Honorable Mention in Junior National Duck Stamp Competition 2012